Baby It's Cold Outside
by FalkeJ
Summary: While traveling to pick up Gibbs at a location in the country, the team is met with an unforseen obstacle, will they make it out of this alive? can Gibbs find them in time? Read and find out!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I DO NOT OWN NCIS (though who wouldn't like to) THIS IS ONLY FOR FUN. HOPE YOU ENJOY

CHAPTER 1 - OH DEER!

Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs rode the elevator, coffee in hand, back up to the bullpen from being down in Ducky's "office".

"Hey Boss" Tony greeted Gibbs as he exited off the elevator. "the director wants to see you up in MTAC"

Gibbs silently acknowledged and headed straight for the stairs. Once in MTAC he was waved over to come and take a seat next to director Vance.

"Gibbs, I don't think I need to tell you this, but that body Ducky has downstairs is of high importance. We've got to transfer it for burial to a little town west of DC out in the country near the West Virginia state line. And we need a senior agent to take it" Vance looked over at Gibbs as he chewed away on his toothpick.

"Oh come on Leon, me?.... don't you have another agent that can take it?" Gibbs protested the request from his boss.

"I do, but you were on special request from SEC-NAV. You'll leave here in an hour and ride with the body, and sign it over to the proper authorities once you arrive. You should be able to get a rental car to come and pick you up to bring you back here, call if you have any problems." Vance gave Gibbs a half hearted salute letting him know that the conversation was over and he was to go and carry out the orders.

Less than thrilled, Gibbs left MTAC to return to his desk and gather some items for his trip.

"What's on the plate for today boss?" Tony asked as Gibbs entered back onto the main floor.

"You guys need to finish looking through the rest of the computer files on the hacking case that occurred the beginning of last week.. and I.. I am taking a day trip to deliver our special guest downstairs. If you guys need me, call me. Otherwise I'll see you all tomorrow most likely." With that Gibbs grabbed his phone and SIG from his desk and left the office.

* * *

Gibbs sat on the cold metal bench in the back of the transport van. His eyes scanned the road behind them through the rear window, noticing the snow that had started to fall and was accumulating on the ground. He shook his head to himself, regretting ever even have walked into MTAC this morning.

"How much longer?" Gibbs leaned forward and asked the driver

"About thirty to forty minutes more sir." The young man answered.

Gibbs leaned back in his seat and shut his eyes, having nothing else to do.

* * *

Tony looked out of the office window of the NCIS building, smiling at the white snow just beginning to fall and coat the streets and give a new pure coat of white to the already piled snow from the previous week.

"I just love winter, don't you?" the senior agent flashed his white smile and took a seat on the edge of agent Ziva David's desk.

"I do not like the cold. And the snow, at times, is not very nice to drive in" Ziva complained and continued typing on her computer.

"What about you probie?" Tony turned his attention to Mcgee.

Tim looked up from his relentless typing and searching of files, "I like it. And I don't mind driving in the snow."

"I'm glad to hear you say that." Director Vance's voice interrupted from behind, "Because you're about to venture out into it. Gibbs has delivered the body but the rental companies aren't sending any cars out because of the snow. Looks like you'll have to go and pick him up. Get directions from Ducky for the morgue where we sent him." With that Vance turned and left.

"Well, since I'm senior field agent, I think you and Ziva should stay here and continue to search through the files while I go and get Gibbs." Tony smiled.

"I do not think that is fair. I think I should go and get him because…"Ziva was cut of by Mcgee

"If I just heard correctly I believe Vance just told me to go and get him, and Ziva, you just said you hated driving in the snow!" Mcgee fought back.

Ziva had a smirk look on her face "I take it back."

"Settle down, settle down children." Dr. Mallard walked into the bullpen. "I've got the address here, and my suggestion to you all is that you are a team so you should go and get him as a team." Ducky smiled at his words of wisdom

"Sounds good to me" DiNozzo quipped as he snatched the address out of Ducky's hand. "Mcgeek, you're driving, Ziva… you get the back seat." Tony smiled as he grabbed his bag and headed for the elevators followed by his fellow agents.

The snow continued to fall, slow, but steady.

* * *

(cell phone rings)

"Gibbs" the silver haired man answered

"Hey Boss, just calling to let you know we are about thirty minutes from your location… and Mcgee sucks at driving in the snow" Tony smiled as he looked over at his probie partner who was protesting the statement with a clenched jaw and angered eye brows.

"Tony, I don't really care what cha think of Mcgee's driving, just get your butt's here and pick me up. I'm starving and its boring as hell. There is nothing around here. It's the middle of nowhere!"

"Right Boss, on it." Tony shut his phone "You heard the man Probie, step on the gas."

Just as Tim was rounding a sharp corner going up the side of a mountain, a deer leapt from the embankment and into the middle of the road.

"MCGEE LOOK OUT!!" Ziva screamed from the back seat.

Mcgee slammed the brake down hard, not even taking a moment to think about the snow that had coated the windy back roads. The halting tires sent the car into a spin going 60 miles per hour. The heavy steal met with the guard rail, but was too much for the barrier to handle.

The car went smashing through and sliding at a considerable rate down the side of the mountain. Screams and hands holding onto whatever they could grab inside of the car for a feeling of safety was the only picture present in the moment.

Mcgee, Tony, and Ziva looked ahead of them to see a large embankment of snow and a tree that they weren't sure they would miss or hit at the moment. The car slammed to a halt. The front passenger side of the car hit the tree and the rest was stopped by the mound of snow that was piled.

* * *

'_What the hell is taking them so long?' _Gibbs silently wondered to himself, after several failed attempts to call them on their cells he then decided to pick up the phone and give someone who he knew could help out a call.

"Hello!" The ecstatic voice of the always happy Abby answered the phone.

"Abbs its Gibbs… I need you to look up where Mcgee's car is right now, they're late and I haven't been able to get them on their cells. Probably no signal" Gibbs waited impatiently for a reply.

"Oh no Gibbs! You don't think they're hurt or..or are in trouble or anything do you?"

"I don't know Abbs, could you just locate the car" Gibbs re-asked.

"Sure, I'm on it."

He could hear her fingers frantically hitting each stroke of the keyboard and the quick clicking of the mouse, and in a matter of seconds heard her reaching to pick back up the phone.

"Okay Gibbs, its showing they are about 30 minutes east of you off of 'Twisted Creek Ridge'.." Abby bit her bottom lip waiting for Gibbs response.

"Did you say off of Abb's?" Gibbs asked to make sure

"Yea…" Abby's voice seemed to be heavy with concern now. "According to the GPS map it looks like they've veered off the road and the car is resting somewhere over the side of the mountain."

Abby could hear the silent cursing on the other line coming from Gibbs.

"Abbs…"Gibbs was still thinking about how he wanted to handle this "Get Ducky and take one of the trucks out.. send their location to my phone, and I'll meet you guys there."

"You got it Gibbs." Abby hung up and ran to get Dr. Mallard.

* * *

Ziva was the first to open her eyes back up. She could tell she had only had the wind knocked out of her and nothing was wrong. She leaned forward in between the front seats.

"Mcgee…Mcgee…. Can you hear me Mcgee?" she gently shook her co-workers shoulder.

Tim Mcgee gently stirred. He sat up from his leaning position and gently wiped away the small trickle of blood coming from his left nostril.

"Yea.. I'm okay, just a little bit of a bloody nose from the airbag" He continued to wince a little in pain as he touched his bruised face.

Ziva was getting ready to turn her attention to Tony, when she saw something out of the windshield.

"Mcgee..do you see that? Or did I hit my head after all?" Ziva questioned.

Tim looked out of the windshield and down to the bottom of the hill that they were currently resting on midway. He blinked a couple of times and even squinted, but there was no doubt in his mind, Ziva had not hit her head, and he could see it too.

There standing at the bottom of the hill were three rugged looking men, donned in hunting gear and pointing rifles in execution style at a fourth man who was down on his knee's, hands raised in the air and wearing what appeared to be a park rangers uniform.

"What is going o…" Before Ziva could finish her question a shot rang out and the body of the fourth man fell to the snowy ground.

Ziva gasped as so did Tim.

"Ziva, we've gotta get out of here…. they can't know we just saw them. I don't think they see us yet." Tim looked back for some sort of agreement.

"I agree…. TIM!" Ziva finally looked over at their other comrade, Anthony DiNozzo, who at the present moment was still unconscious.

It seemed Tony had gotten the worst of it all seeing as how his front of the car had met with the tree. Mcgee unbuckled himself quickly and leaned over to asses Tony.

"He's got a gash in his head, and one on his thigh as well. Ziva give me something to tie around his leg."

She frantically searched for something and came up with her scarf.

Tim tied it around his leg in hopes of controlling the bleeding. Then he tried to wake Tony up.

"Tony…. Tony…. Can you hear me?" DiNozzo stirred slightly but no verbal response was made and his eyes stayed shut.

"I don't know how badly he's hurt, but we're going to have to get him out and carry him." Mcgee sighed as he looked at Ziva. "I saw some smoke, which I presume is from a chimney, about a mile back. I say we try to make it there for some help."

"What if that is where those three hunters live?" Ziva questioned, eye brow raised.

"That could be a possibility" Mcgee stated "But its looking like our only option at the moment. If it is where they live, maybe we can at least make it back before they do and barricade ourselves inside until we can get some help."

Ziva climbed out of the car and helped Tim ease his door open. They were trying to make minimal sound and movement as to not be detected by the three men who were still standing at the bottom of the hill, rifles in hand.

Mcgee reached across and unbuckled Tony's belt. Then grabbed him underneath his arms and pulled with much effort, barely dragging the bigger agents body across both seats. With the help of Ziva they pulled his body the rest of the way out of the door and out onto the snow. Tim was only praying in his mind that Tony had no broken bones that would be made worse by all of the movement.

"Tim, pop the trunk and I'll get our first aid kit and blanket out of the back to take with us." Ziva rounded to the back of the car.

Mcgee reached in and hit the trunk button on the side of the door. Something, however, must have been jumbled around in the accident, when Mcgee hit the button the cars horn began to blare with no cease.

_Crap! _Was the only thought that came to Mcgee as the blasting cars horn immediately alerted the men at the bottom of the field.

Ziva quickly ran around the side of the car back to Tony and Mcgee.

"Lets get out of here"

In one swift movement Mcgee and Ziva lifted Tony up and began to move as quickly as possible across the snowy mountain.

They looked down further to the bottom of the hill at the men who had taken prone positions on the ground and looked like they were ready to aim and fire. Ziva was greatful for the heavily wooded area in front of them though and felt they were safe once they made it inside the tree's.

(down at the bottom of the hill)

"I can't get a shot off from here" Mark Hibble stated to his two younger brothers. "Too many tree's"

The other two stood up and nodded in agreement with their older brother.

"They must've seen us though. We've gotta find them and take care of them." Todd Hibble stated.

"Well, there's only one place in the direction they're headed, and that's old Lady Crawford's place. So lets go boys. Looked like they were carrying a body; we should be able to make it there before they do." Mark ordered to the other two and took off through the snow.

* * *

"Mcgee…. how long…. did you say… the house was…. from here?" Ziva questioned in between panting breathes while trying to hold on steady to DiNozzo's deadweight.

Tim stopped moving for a second to catch his own breath. "I thought only about a mile back in this direction… look.." He pointed up to the sky above the tree's ahead of them. "Smoke… we're close."

* * *

Tony could feel but couldn't open his eyes. It was so cold. He felt like he was being dragged, or was he being carried? What happened? Was he kidnapped? Where was he? He tried again to pry open his eyes. His left one cracked open slightly. His right one felt sealed by a gooey, warm, and wet substance. He could tell that his head was drooped forward and facing the ground. All he could see was snow and a pair of struggling feet on either side of him.

Everything was blurry. He noticed the snow underneath him turn pinkish red as he was pulled overtop of it. _I'm bleeding,_ he thought to himself. Then the awareness of everything else wrong in his body became more apparent to him as his consciousness began to return.

He pulled his arms into his side and down to his leg. Making his helpers drop him to the ground.

"Tony!" Ziva quickly knelt beside him. "Tony, we're almost there, come on"

He didn't have time to reply _almost where?_ He questioned himself. Then the pain slowly overtook him and he fell back into a lapse of unconsciousness.

Mcgee looked over at Ziva as they quickly returned Tony to their shoulders.

"We've gotta hurry." With that they took off towards the small cabin which was now visible as the patch of tree's cleared into an opening.

They managed to pull Tony's body up the three steps to the front porch, and eased him slowly down. Ziva knelt beside him and gave his body support as Mcgee drew his badge out and knocked on the front door, praying for an answer, a phone, and a friendly face.


	2. Miss Crawford

_Thanks for the reviews so far. Hope you all continue to enjoy!_

**Chapter 2 – Miss Crawford **

Agent Gibbs swerved the cars steering wheel to the right seeing an open spot to park off of the side of the road. He zipped his jacket and shuddered at the cold, then proceeded to take out his phone and continue to track the ever present blinking red light of his teams car on the GPS.

He knew he had to be close so he took his eyes off of the phone to look up and try spotting the car for himself. Gibbs began to do a sweep, right to left, and then he saw it. The snow had been disturbed quite a bit and he noticed an open gap in the bended and mutilated frame of the guard rail.

As he made a slight jogging effort across the road, he noticed the NCIS van pulling off in front of him. Ducky and Abby quickly exited and made their way over to Gibbs.

"Ooo Gibbs, tell me they're alright?!?" Abby leaned in to hug her fatherly figure.

"Yes, do you know anything yet Jethro?" Ducky spoke up from behind

"No, not much yet Duck. I just saw this gap in the guard rail and what looks like an accident in the snow here. I'm guess they went over. So lets go check it out." Gibbs motioned for them to follow him to the edge of the hill.

As the three of them reached the edge of the top and peered down, they could see the mashed vehicle resting against a tree a good ways down the side of the mountain. Without needing to bark any orders, they all three began their descent down to check for survivors.

Gibbs reached first, followed shortly by Abby, and slowly by Ducky. A quick sweep of the car and it was apparent there was no one inside. And from what they could tell, no one outside of it either.

"Do you think they were thrown Jethro?" Ducky asked

"Don't know yet Duck…" Gibbs bent down and touched the now chilled blood that covered the icy snow next to the car.

As he stood up his attention was immediately caught by a motionless form down at the bottom of the hill.

"Down there!" Gibbs yelled and pointed out the body to his other two partners as he began to run toward the body.

Gibbs threw himself down into the snow as soon as he reached it. He frantically brushed the snow away in anticipation of discovering who it was. He was, however, met with a gruesome discovery.

You could barely make out that there had ever been a face there. The grisly sight made his stomach churn. He looked down to notice a park rangers uniform. That a least brought slight comfort to him, knowing it wasn't one of his. Abby and Ducky were approaching.

"We've got a body Duck!" Gibbs looked up at the ME

"Oh dear…"Ducky exclaimed as he moved closer.

"Don't worry, its not one of ours." Gibbs proved as he pointed to the uniform.

"That poor fellow… I guess I should go topside and call the proper authorities.." Ducky turned to head up but was stopped by Gibbs.

"No Duck. Send Abbs up. I want you with me in a case we do find one of our guys and they need help."

Ducky nodded in agreement and sent Abby back up the hill with his cell phone.

"Where to now Jethro?" Ducky inquired

"Well…. my guts telling me that we follow those tracks" Gibbs pointed out several tracks of snow that lay in front of them.

"Lets not waste time then..." Ducky nodded and took off after the footprints with Gibbs hot on his trail.

* * *

It was the third time that Tim had, had to knock on the door, still no answer. He turned around, ready to give up hope, we he heard the floor inside creaking and a pattern of 'thumps' hitting the floor.

"Federal Agents!.." Tim pounded more fiercely on the door this time. And he heard a muffled voice replying to him from inside.

"I heard, I heard. I heard you the first time boy, just you wait a minute." The voice was deep and strong; yet sweet, and kind.

The front door swung open and there standing before Tim was a very heavyset African woman with a cane and hair whiter than the fallen snow, greeting him with a smile.

"Well don't just stand there son, what can I do you for?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"We uh, we need help mam…"Mcgee stood aside to show his injured partner laying against Ziva unconscious.

"Oh my!" The woman exclaimed putting her free hand over her mouth. "Bring him inside shooga, bring him inside" She motioned for them to bring him in immediately.

Relieved and hurried Tim knelt beside Ziva on the front porch, and together they lifted Tony's deadweight up and carried him inside. The woman motioned for them to come in by the fire and to lay Tony on the couch.

"Let me go see what I've got in my medical cupboard…" She said and left the room.

Ziva elevated Tony's head slightly and put a pillow beneath it. She noticed he was beginning to shiver a little bit and that pale complexion had taken on his normally cherry and cheerful face.

"Mcgee, toss me that blanket" She pointed to the rocking chair behind Tim.

Ziva tucked the blanket in around Tony's arms and chest, wanting to leave his leg wound out so they could have a better look at it.

"You're in luck…" The large woman came back in, walking with a slight limp with her cane. "I've found my first aid kit." She smiled and held up the tiny white box.

Without another word spoken she grabbed a small wooden stool that had been beside the fire place and she made her way over to Tony. She plopped down, set the kit on the floor, and began to asses him rather quickly.

"Excuse me mam… but do you know what you are doing?" Ziva asked.

"Oh honey.. I'd say I know enough to help your friend here…. used to be chief nurse of a hospital in Los Angeles for twenty-five years…" She smiled and looked up to catch Ziva's eyes to make sure that she had properly assured Ziva of her skills. Ziva smiled back.

"By the way…. my name is Miss Crawford.. you can call me Betty though." She nodded a welcome to Mcgee.

"Um.. NCIS agents Ziva David, and Timothy Mcgee mam" Tim nodded back.

* * *

He was warm and cozy, snuggled up to a newly lit fire, and could feel the gentle touch of a woman's hand. He reached back to touch her, but he couldn't move his arms. His head started to hurt, and suddenly he was in darkness. Then new sensations began to take him over.

The warmth was gone, he felt a chill run up his spine and felt his body shiver in response. The aches, the pain, what was this? Where was he? He couldn't open his eyes, couldn't ask questions, couldn't cry out. And the blood, he remembered seeing blood… and Ziva and Mcgee… he was so confused.

"Tony…. Tony… its okay boy, open your eyes" Miss Crawford gently rubbed the hair aside on his forehead.

Who was this voice, this calm, gentle, reassuring voice? It was usually the tough demanding voice of Gibbs calling him from the dark, but this, this was different. He gave every ounce of energy he had left in him to open his eyes. And the effort was a success.

The small cabins room spun slightly around him, but through the blurred vision he was able to make out Zivas face.

"Ziva.." the name came as a whisper from DiNozzo's lips.

"I am here Tony.." She knelt down and grabbed his hand.

Tony reached up and rubbed his eyes, each second that passed he was able to focus a little more. He looked around the room and saw Mcgee who looked worried and impatient about something, then looked in front of him to see the gentle voice that had called him from his dark trap.

Miss Crawford gently moved Ziva aside and closed in the gap between her and Tony.

"Can you tell me where it hurts darlin?" She smiled and touched his arm.

Tony took a minute to let his mind search his body. He felt like saying it hurt everywhere, but knew that wouldn't be much help. He relaxed and let the pain radiate from him, mentally noting what felt worse.

He swallowed and shut his eyes as a wave of nausea hit him.

"Tony?" Ziva placed a firm hand on his arm

"It's uh.. um… my head… and my .. uh.. my side" He gingerly palpated his right side and tried sitting up a little only to be met with the most intense pain he had felt yet.

"What is it boy?" Miss Crawford asked, noting the increased paling and contorting of his face.

"My hip.. my hip" Tony grabbed at his right leg in pain.

"And you've got some nasty gashes on your head and thigh there too….hmm" Miss Crawford continued to gently feel around his body. Then unbuttoned his shirt to reveal some freshly developing bruises and a darkening area around the bottom of his ribs on the right.

"Whadya think Miss Crawford?" Mcgee leaned in to take a look and asked.

"It doesn't look good. Your friend here needs to get to a hospital… there's not much more I can do for him other than put some gauze over these open cuts." She looked up hopeless at Mcgee "Sorry young man."

"No, its okay, you've done more than enough… do you have a phone around here where we could call in for help? or maybe a car?" Mcgee asked in hurried need to focus back to the fact that they very well could have three killers on their six.

"I'm sorry son, I don't keep a phone here in the house. I do have one of those cellular things though…. not much good in here however… you've gotta get top side back up to the road to get any signal on it. And as for a car, I'm afraid on this old back road you wont be able to get it out in the snow" Miss Crawford pointed at the mantel over the fireplace where a phone laid "It's up there if you want it."

"Thank you" Mcgee advanced forward and took the phone. "Ours must be back at the scene of the accident" He noted looking at Tony and Ziva "Ziva, why don't you stay here with Tony, I'll try to make it back up to the road and call out. I'll be back as soon as I can. Keep your gun ready and don't let anyone in……except me of course." Mcgee smiled

"But Mcgee… you don't have your gun." Ziva looked down on Tim's hip where it would normally be. "What if they are out there waiting for you?"

"Who's out where waitin for who?" Miss Crawford stood up and put a hand on her hip.

"When we crashed our car…..we witnessed a murder" Tim spit it all out rather bluntly and quick.

"Oh my heavens child.." Miss Crawford held her hand over her heart as she took in a gasp at the news. "You think they saw you and are headed here then?"

"We know they saw us… but we managed to run into the woods before they could get a shot off. They seemed like they were from around here… I'm sure it wont take them long to figure out where we are." Tim conveyed.

"Mmm… I bet I know who I was too..mm.." Miss Crawford shook her head. "I bet its them Hibble boys. They live up yonder at the top of the mountain across the road….I always new they was trouble. Meanest set of men God ever did create."

"How many of these Hibble boys are there?" Ziva asked wondering if they would only be up against the three or if maybe reinforcements would be coming in.

"It's just three of them, Mark, Todd, and Tucker…."

This was making Mcgee and Ziva acknowledge the fact that Miss Crawford may be right on the money with who the three mystery men were.

* * *

(at the bottom of the hill )

They were close enough that they could see the front of the house through the tree's. Mark Hibble was getting frustrated with his two younger brothers though.

"You'd think you didn't know how to walk!" He squawked angrily down at his brother Tucker.

"C'mon Mark, it wasn't his fault! This snow's deep, he couldnt've have helped it" Todd stood up for the youngest brother Tucker who was resting in the snow holding onto a freshly twisted and possibly sprained ankle.

"Aghh… to heck with it…. we've at least got em' trapped in there with nowhere to go. We'll take our time, do this right, and leave no witnesses and no evidence behind" Mark barked.

"Mark! What about the rangers body?!" Tucker was first to realize they had taken off without doing anything with it.

"Blast… chances are we're fine, this is the back roads and nobody ever comes out here…. Just to be safe though… since you thought of it and ya aren't much good to me here with that ankle… you can go back Tucker and cover the body with the snow until we can come back to it later"

"Gotcha Mark." Tucker stood and began his weak and weary walk back to the body.


	3. Forgotten Skills and Memories

_Author Note: Took a Christmas break. Hope you all had a merry Christmas. Thanks so much to everyone for the reviews they're great. I've tried to take in some of the feedback as well and made some adjustments in this chapter hopefully to your liking. Enjoy! _

**Chapter 3- Forgotten Skills** **and Memories**

"Mcgee, you are not going out there without a weapon!" Ziva stood up from her chair and held hers out for her partner.

"Ziva are you crazy? If they decide to come in here what will you defend yourself with?" Mcgee looked like he was about to give a Gibbs smack right to the back of her head.

"I got somethin baby.." Miss Crawford disappeared into the back room.

She returned shortly carrying two shotguns and a box of bullets. She leaned one up against the fireplace and handed the other over to Mcgee. She divided the box of bullets up and handed half to Mcgee as he stood with a shocked look on his face that this sweet little lady was bringing all of this weaponry out.

"Good to go shooga" She smiled and Mcgee returned it.

"Don't worry about me Ziva… just watch out for Tony and Miss C. and I'll be back soon with help" Tim had held a reassuring grip to Ziva's arm while he spoke.

Ziva was not going to put up anymore of a fight. They needed help, and right now Tim was their only way.

He followed Miss Crawford into the back bedroom where she showed him a window he could use to sneak out of the back of the house, hopefully unseen.

"Be careful honey…" She whispered as Mcgee slipped out and away into the cold.

* * *

Gibbs and Ducky were moving at such a swift pace, with eyes on the tracks in the snow, that it was only by chance that he looked up to see the figure coming towards them.

Gibbs slowly drew out his weapon and put a hand on Ducky's shoulder to stop him from any further movement.

Tucker spotted the two men in almost the same second that they had caught sight of him. He tried quickly to turn and run back to his brothers, but was brought down by his already weak ankle.

Seeing the opportunity at hand Gibb's ran in and stood over the boy, weapon aimed and ready to shoot.

"Federal Agents… lemme see your hands" Gibbs ordered to the young man.

Tucker shakily raised his hands and placed them on top of his head.

"Check him out Duck" Gibbs kept a trained eye and a steady gun on the suspect as Dr. Mallard approached him.

After searching the pockets and boots, and patting the man down thoroughly, Ducky came away with only a hunting knife.

"It seems this (handing the knife over to gibbs)… and (turning to look at suspect for confirmation) a very badly sprained ankle is all that we've got here Jethro." Ducky concluded.

Gibbs lowered his weapon. And approached the suspect, handcuffs out.

"Where are your friends?" Gibbs began cuffing the suspect roughly while asking him, to show he meant business and it was going to hurt a lot more if he didn't start talking.

"Up the hill just a bit more." Tucker nodded in the direction he just came from.

"What kind of manpower and weapons are we talking about?" Gibbs looked him square in the eye, Tucker knew he had to tell him everything and that it better be the truth.

"Ta..two of them, my brothers, Mark and Todd. They've each got a shotgun and my rifle… huntin knives too.. and Mark might have a handgun… I .. I don't know for sure." Tucker looked up at Gibbs, he could tell the younger man had told the truth.

"Were you chasing the NCIS agents through the woods?"

"Tha what?" Tucker had never heard of NCIS

"There were federal agents in that car that wrecked… did you chase after them!" Gibbs was losing patience not knowing what lay ahead of him and whether or not he was wasting time.

"Yea… yea we were chasing somebody… they saw us… ugh…they had saw somethin we didn't want em' to….they got hold up in Old Lady Crawfords cabin up there.." Tucker again looked in the direction from which he had just come

"So what happened?" Gibbs wasn't sure if he was about to walk up the mountain and find his team slaughtered.

"When.. when I left nothing had happened yet… Mark is pretty particular…he wanted everything done right….no evidence.. you know."

"Yea.. I know." Was Gibbs only response. "Duck take him back up to the van with Abbs. Tell her to call in for backup and find the driveway that leads to whatever house is up there."

"And where may I ask will you be in all of this?" Ducky gave Gibbs a weary eyebrow.

"I'm going to get my team back!" Gibbs saw no need for further discussion and with that took off swiftly through the woods picking back up on the trail they had stopped along.

"Be careful Jethro!" Ducky yelled out after him "… and bring them back safe" he whispered to himself. "Alright young man.. lets get you up the hill" Ducky helped Tucker to his feet and they began their slow climb to the top.

* * *

Agent Timothy was out of breath as he finally reached the top where the road was. Out of breath he bent over and retrieved the cell phone from his coat pocket. He stood and sighed with much relief at the two tiny bars steady and strong at the top of the phone.

He quickly dialed Gibbs number as he began to walk up the road, retrieving better signal as he walked, but had no success in reaching him. He figured Ducky may be the next best person to call.

"Hello?" A worried female voice came over the phone

"Ducky?" Mcgee questioned

"MCGEE!!! Mcgee… where are you? Are you okay? Are you with Tony and Ziva? Is anyone hurt?" Abby screamed into the phone so loudly that Tim had to take the phone from his ear momentarily.

"Abby, abby, abby.. calm down…but we do need help .. now!"

"I know Tim, I know. We saw the accident and the dead man and footprints and oh my goodness are you okay? Where are you!"

Tim looked up and saw a NCIS labeled van at the top of the next hill, and a tall dark figure standing next to it.

"I think I'm down the hill looking at you Abbs.." Tim scrunched his eyebrows at how peculiar the situation was.

"Mcgee!!" Tim noticed Abby wasn't even on the phone anymore, instead she was running full speed down the hill towards Mcgee.

"Abby watch the…." Mcgee jumped forward as his friend skidded on the icy hill just in time to break her fall.

"oh my gosh Mcgee are you okay.." Abby quickly got off of her friend.

"Yea.. I think so" Mcgee stated sorely and sat up slow from the ground.

"Mcgee your face!" Abby gasped as she saw the spreading bruise underneath his eyes and the dried blood under his nose.

"does it really look that bad?" Mcgee winced as he reached up and touched it

"Does it feel bad?"

"kind of…" Mcgee closed his eyes for a second noticing the intensity of the pain for the first time. But he couldn't do this, not now, he couldn't become weak and vulnerable, he had been going on pure adrenaline, which was fading now. He still had friends in danger though, still had a mission. Exhaustion and an unknown concussion had a mission of their own, however, and consumed him quickly. "Abbs… tony…" His eyes closed and he collapsed against his friend.

"Mcgee… don't do that.. its not funny!" Abby tried to rouse him but no such luck.

* * *

Ziva sat waiting, wondering when the villains outside would make their first move and how she would single handedly deal with it. Her concentration was broken quickly with increasing moaning coming from Tony.

She went to his side to join Miss Crawford who was already seated beside him. She noticed his skin looked more pale than it did before and he was sweating profusely.

"He looks worse yes?" Ziva asked Miss C

"He's gone into shock…I've put an extra blanket on him.." Miss Crawford just looked at Tony with the concern of a mother in her eyes.

All of a sudden, like he awoken from a nightmare, Tony flung himself into a sitting position, grabbing the back of his injured leg and screaming.

"What can we do!" Ziva was getting angry that Miss Crawford, who was apparently a veteran nurse, would not do anything. "DO SOMETHING!"

The older woman had tears in her eyes as she whispered " I… I can't" her face looked like it had seen a ghost and Ziva noticed her looking toward a picture on the fireplace's mantel.

It looked like it was a little bit younger Miss Crawford and a gentleman, both had smiles on their faces and arms wrapped around each other. Ziva began to understand.

"What happened.." Ziva retrieved the picture and looked back at Miss Crawford who now had a tear running down her cheek.

"We had just moved out here… about ten years ago… he worked with local law enforcement… they were trying to pinpoint a local drug operation around here… we were driving home from dinner one night…. he told me that he had just received Intel about where the operation was…. we had just come around a bend when we heard the gunshot……hit the front tire and sent us into a swerve that ended us in a tree….. he…. he was hurt bad…..I managed to get him out of the truck….. but he already wasn't breathing…. I started CPR…" Miss Crawfords face grew more depressed as the final memories came back to haunt her. "I tried… and tried… and tried…. and I just tried til' I had no more…. But I couldn't, I couldn't save him…" She reached up and wiped away the small stream of tears. "I never wanted to touch another patient for the rest of my life… I'm just no good.. no more use… I couldn't even save the man I loved…I just couldn't" Miss Crawford fell silent.

Ziva got down on her knee's beside her. "You are NOT a useless woman… you have many skills… I know that it is hard to lose someone and feel like it is your fault… I have done it myself… and I will not lie and say that I did not blame myself… but I did learn to move on.. to know that I couldn't let that take who I was away…. You Miss Crawford.. you are a nurse, a great nurse… and this is my partner.. and I'll be damned if I am going to sit here and watch his broken body torture him to death.. you can help him, I can help him.. show me how!" She locked eyes with Miss Crawford and knew she had gotten through.

It was like Ziva was in the room with a whole new woman; someone with a completely new fire, a new confidence, and desire for life.

Miss Crawford quickly uncovered Tony's lower half from underneath the blankets.

"He's got a dislocated hip… we need to put it back in… it's gonna hurt like hell, but once its back, we'll see him improving… he'll still be in some considerable pain… but with that concussion there won't be much beyond that point except for getting him rest and eventually to the hospital where they can take x-rays and give him medications or whatever they deem appropriate."

"Okay.. so what do we do.." Ziva was standing and ready for action.

"You stand here and hold Tony down, comfort him and keep him calm.. I'll do the rest."

Miss Crawford moved to his lower half. Positioning her hands over his thigh and knee.

"Ready now.. hold him tight"

Ziva laid, practically pressed, her body forcefully against Tony as he lay there semiconscious murmuring and tossing his head fervently side to side.

"Here we go!"

Ziva was glad for the warning given by Miss Crawford. As soon as she yanked Tony's leg down he tried to sit up and began to scream as before. Miss Crawford quickly and accurately lined the free hanging leg back up and shoved it up back to its position 'POP' it sounded worse than the actual outcome.

"Did you break something?" Ziva looked down at Miss Crawford who had completed her task.

"No baby, that was normal… don't worry none… see" She pointed down at Tony.

He began to stir. He felt the tension in his body let go, he felt a huge relief from the constant pain that had been haunting him in his darkness. He felt like he could return to reality, or at least make an attempt.

Ziva noticed the pink color begin to blend back into his ashen cheeks as he fought to open his eyes. Then there they were, shiny and green, staring up at her as if to say thanks. Tony was back in touch with the real world… looking into his partners eyes…when suddenly something was wrong.

Those eyes, her eyes, they widened, they became full of fear, of pain, of defeat. It happened so fast, yet seemed so slow to him as he watched them shut, watched her fall.

He hadn't even been alert enough to hear the cracking of gunfire from outside. He only noticed that as the body of Ziva David hit the floor, the blood pooled from underneath her. He felt the strong hands of Miss Crawford pulling him down to the floor and out of sight from the window.

Where was his training and his instincts? He felt useless. He reached down and let his fingers slide through Ziva's hair. The only part of her he could reach at the moment.

"Zee..va …" Tony's eyes already passed along to Miss Crawford his concern and brokenness for his partner.

"Ugh uh.. no ma'am.. not on Miss Crawfords shift" the elderly half crippled lady crawled across the floor of that cabin quicker than a marine going through training exercises. She retrieved some shirts from the sofa and quickly applied pressure to Ziva's wound on her side.

"Looks like the bullet went clean through son" She assured Tony that although injured, Ziva would make it…. that was… if any of them made it out alive.

* * *

_Damn!_ Gibbs cursed himself as he heard the echoing gunfire from just up ahead of him. _I'm coming guys, just hold on!_ The lead agent picked up his speed in light of the newly developing situation.

(up at the NCIS van)

Abby had managed to wake Mcgee and help him walk back up to the van where she had been met by Ducky and Gibbs' suspect. Abby had just hung up the phone with the director and given them a location for the back up when the shot had sounded through the mountainside.

"Oh dear" Ducky looked in the direction of the sound

"Was that a gunshot Mcgee!" Abby's heart began to race again in worry for her friends.

"Yea.. it was only one though… I don't know if that's a good thing.. or a bad thing." Mcgee reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Well do something Mcgee! Don't just sit there…" You could hear the worry and frustration in her voice.

"Abby, Abby .. calm down. Mr. Timothy here is in no shape to be rescuing anyone… back up will be here any minute now.. and I'm sure Jethro has gotten to them… lets just hope for the best" He gave her the best smile he could come up with for the moment. And sat on the tail of the truck.. just waiting.

_NOTE: the final chapter will be up soon! Hope you've enjoyed so far._


	4. An Unlikely Hero

_Thanks for all of the reviews from everyone. Hope you all enjoy this final chapter. _

**Chapter 4- An Unlikely Hero **

"Give it up Crawford… you might as well just open the front door and let us in!" Mark Hibble yelled through the still winter air, from the protection behind a tree in the front yard, as he shot another round randomly through the window of the small cabin.

"You aint takin nothin from me young man!" Ms. Crawford's voice was heard in stern reply to the young mans threats. "If you want you some, then you come on and get it now!" Ms. Crawford reached her arms up, shaking slightly, and fired the shotgun out of the window towards the woods.

Mark ducked behind the tree where his younger brother Todd was crouched down.

"Well you see Ms. C… I already took something from you.." Mark laughed out loud. "I took that no good husband of yours a few years back… so why don't you just be good girl and get this over with quickly and you can go and join him!" Mark laughed again and looked down at his younger brother, knowing he would've struck a nerve with the old woman and that they soon would be in control of this situation and take care of their witnesses.

* * *

Tony could barely hear the conversation going back and forth. He noticed the anger and the look of pure hatred and murder in Ms. Crawford's eyes, however, after that last comment had come in.

"Take Ziva into the back room… I'll stay out here and try to hold them off until Mcgee gets here with some backup" Tony tried to look like he had the strength to pull it off, but it was obvious from the look on Ms. Crawford's face that she wasn't buying it.

"No honey… this is my fight now…. I've lived my life… its time to finish this thing right, and right now…"

Tony could see that her mind was already off somewhere other than the room in which they currently sat in. That she had a plan, she had a mission, and there would be nothing he could say or do to stop whatever it is that was. He had just seen that look too many times before.

"You'll be in danger… I can't let that happen… go, let me take care of this" Tony pulled himself barely up into a seated position. The room was spinning around him, but he summoned what strength he could to make it appear that he had his body under control.

"I just can't let cha … baby… it's cold outside." Those were the final words from Ms. Crawford's lips.

Tony couldn't move fast enough or even scream loud enough to break through to her. She cocked back and loaded a round into the barrel, and before he knew what was going on she was on her feet and opening the front door, aimed and ready.

Mark Hibble was surprised to see the large figure emerge onto the porch and stand momentarily in the shadow. Quickly he exited from behind the tree, motioned for his brother to take the other side of the woods, and took a shot towards the house and the dark figure.

Ms. Crawford felt the bullet enter her abdomen, but was not going to let that faze her. She took careful aim at her assailant and fired twice. She knew she had to have hit him from the way she saw the body respond; jerked and twisted as it flung to the ground. And something else, there was something else she felt, more gunfire, more blood on her shirt, on her hands, she was going down.

* * *

'BANG BANG BANG'

It was all happening so fast. Gibbs burst through the opening in the woods in time to see Ms. Crawford firing her shots into Mark Hibble. He quickly looked around for any other suspects. He spotted Todd Hibble running toward his brother from the other side of the woods and firing several rounds towards the house and Ms. Crawford.

Gibbs didn't have time to think or asses the situation, just trusted his gut and opened fire into Todd Hibble, who quickly came to a stop and fell over clutching his chest.

Gibbs ran over and stood overtop of the blood soaked snow and the still form of two bodies, kicking their weapons away, he stooped down to make sure the kill shots were accurate, no pulse, they were.

He quickly holstered his gun and ran up onto the porch of the house. He didn't know the whole story here, wasn't sure what was going on, he stopped and looked down at Ms. Crawford who's body was laid down on the porch. She had multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen, and then he saw the life ending shot that lay on her forehead, creating the pool of blood beneath her.

He paused just a moment more to look down at her. Knowing she was someone or something special. His train of thought was broken by the sharp, shrill sounds of sirens blaring down the driveway and pulling to the front of the house. Several squad cars, the NCIS van, and an ambulance came to a halt with skilled men and women pouring out and already beginning to asses the situation.

Gibbs focus was quickly brought back to his current task and he quickly entered into the house to find the rest of his team.

* * *

Tony couldn't hold his eyes open much longer. He felt weak and broken, not just physically, but emotionally as he watched Ms. Crawford exit the cabin. He knew in his gut, in his heart that she wouldn't be coming back. He wouldn't hear that soft sweet voice call him back from his darkness again, and she was giving up her life in place of his.

He marveled at her courage and respected her more than he could have ever told her. With his last waking moment, as he heard the rapid exchange of gunfire, he pulled himself close to Ziva, who was still unconscious, and collapsed with her in his arms.

* * *

"Tony…. tony…. DINOZZO!" It was the rough and tough voice that he knew and loved. He had made it.

Tony forced his eyes to open to find this face. The lights skewed and the faces blurred, but he could still make out the silver hair and blue eyes hovering over him.

"Boss…" He somehow found a smile to put on his face as the room and faces became clearer.

"You alright DiNozzo?" Gibbs helped pull Tony up and leaned him against the couch.

"Been better…" He closed his eyes and swallowed.

"Well, I've gotcha now… we're gonna get you outta here and to the hospital with Ziva" Gibbs nodded toward the door where the paramedics had finished loading her onto the gurney and were taking her out. "Do you think you can walk out?…"

"Not sure.. guess we can give it a try"

Gibbs helped Tony to a standing position. As soon as he tried to put weight on his right leg, however, it gave way and collapsed beneath him. Good thing Gibbs strong arms were there to help. He swung Tony's arm over his shoulder and helped carry him to the threshold of the door.

Tony looked down at Ms. Crawford's body, which Ducky was now zipping into the body bag. Ducky looked up and Tony and noted the sadness in his eyes.

"She went quick Anthony… if that helps" Ducky's eyes met with his

"Yea .. it does Duck." Tony looked forward again and with the help of Abby who had quickly joined his side, and Gibbs who already had half of him, they made their way down to the back of the ambulance and loaded Tony in.

"How does she look…" Tony asked the medic who was hovering over Ziva attaching oxygen and IV's.

"She'll do just fine." He smiled and helped Tony lay down onto the extra backboard on the bench and began his own assessment on him.

Tony reached over between their small divide and squeezed her hand. Then shut his eyes glad to finally have a moment of relaxation and relief.

* * *

_1 week later_

There were no long procession lines, no large costly flower decorations, no uncontrollable tears from family members or long speeches of the life lost. Just a few NCIS agents and a preacher who stood on the side of the mountain next to an old log cabin.

The 'amen' was said and they all turned to leave. Ziva walked to the coffin and placed her hand on it. Then she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the picture she had received from the mantel over the fireplace.

'_He would have been proud'_ She thought to herself as she lay the picture down on top.

"Yea, he would have." Tony smiled over at her and wrapped his arm around her as they walked back and got into the car to leave.

Tony, Ziva, and Abby sat in the back of the little sedan. Gibbs sat up front, passenger to Mcgee. Mcgee pulled out of the driveway and back onto the main road. He had just turned a sharp corner when a deer jumped down from the embankment.

"MCGEE… DEER!!" Every voice seemed to shout in unison as the car swerved across the road and smacked into a deer crossing sign on the side of the road.

The car sat silent. Gibbs then proceeded to reach up his hand and give Mcgee as swift smack to the back of his head before getting out of the car to call for a tow truck.

Mcgee shrugged his shoulders and flipped the radio on, knowing it could be a while before they got assistance. The channels were all full of Christmas favorites and old classic winter songs.

"_Baby it's cold outside" _

The End!


End file.
